He was promoted to the rank of admiral in 1799 after completing duties in Nova Scotia, Portugal, Genoa, the East Indies and Toulon.

[2] In 1793, Gell's squadron captured a Spanish ship which contained two million dollars and packages valued at over 200,000 pounds.

[7] This ship was unusual in that it had been built in 1756 and for the first 24 years it had been part of the Spanish Navy before being captured by the British at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent in 1780.

The battle which took place off the coast of India near Cuddalore was inconclusive and was remarkable in that peace had already been signed in Europe, but the news had not been heard in Asia.

Whilst in the Mediterranean with his division of the fleet, on 14 April 1793[11] he was able to seize a French Privateer and its Spanish registered prize the St Jago.

At this time all the crew, captains, officers and admirals could expect to share in this prize, but it was Gell who had commanded the squadron.

[1] He bequeathed the picture to Sir Hugh Palliser, who gave the painting to the Greenwich Hospital only a few years later, on his death in 1796.

[2] Despite taking no further commands, Gell was able to make his way to be an Admiral of the White[13] as naval promotions were strictly by seniority as superiors either died or were moved aside.

At the end of the eighteenth century they arranged for a naval monument to be built to honour the sixteen admirals and the second anniversary of the Battle of the Nile.